 Fy enw i ychydigwyr. Mae an lagwnauio iawn oedd mae Bwylodol,seriedig yg unstul, ond digwyddion iawn addsignebu i'r foudig hefyd iawn o'r iddiadau ar heb sicr beidliogai cynill copyfiad. Randal Folly F Controller Council Can Numbers Creditors are fully informed of their statutory obligations at each stage of the debt arrangement scheme application and approval process by the Accountant and Bankruptcy or Money Advice organisations. The Accountant and Bankruptcy has a number of stakeholder groups specifically set up to make sure that creditors and other interested parties have a proper understanding of debt management and debt relief processes. Ruth Maguire I thank the minister for that answer. Debt charity's step change has raised some concerns with me around this scheme, one being that there is a widespread misunderstanding of the scheme in the credit industry. What further steps could the Scottish Government take to ensure that creditors operating in Scotland are reminded of their legal responsibilities and obligations regarding the debt arrangement scheme? Would he consider making a requirement for creditors operating in Scotland to have their staff trained in the debt arrangement scheme? Michael Russell I thank Ruth Maguire for her question. My first observation would be that the debt arrangement scheme has been very successful and a lot of that is down to the support that is available to creditors and those who are having to repay debt set out in my initial answer. Ruth Maguire mentioned step change. I can say that they are a critical partner in forming our policy. They also sit on the advisory board of the scheme. They also deliver some elements of the scheme, so we will always be very willing to hear from them. In relation to the issue of training of staff, what I can say is that Accountant and Bank do visit creditors and provide training when they request. I think that it would be beyond the competence of the Government to enforce compulsory training on all major financial institutions. That could potentially be addressed at UK level through the financial conduct authority. That said, there has been consultation recently on the debt arrangement scheme. Some of the issue that was raised by creditors failing to meet their statutory obligations of the scheme was not highlighted as an issue in the consultation responses that they received, but of course, if step change or Ruth Maguire wants to provide more details of the specific concerns, we will of course reflect on such and see if there is more that we can do. My supplementary question is from Gordon Lindhurst. Figures from Step Change Scotland show that, in the Lothian region that I represent, the fastest growing client age category affected in the last three years is the 25 to 39-year-old age group. What is the Scottish Government doing at an educational level, particularly within schools, to ensure that young people are taught the basic principles of money management to help to avoid them getting into debt in the first place, particularly once they leave school? A range of matters about trying to inform young people with life skills can be covered in school. That will be one of the issues that can be taken account of in personal and social education. If Mr Lindhurst wants to write with any specific concerns regarding his region, I will be happy to respond to that. 3. Linda Fabiani Government, when it will next meet ScotRail. Minister Hamza Yousaf. The officials regularly meet representatives of ScotRail to discuss a wide range of issues relating to real services. I will be meeting with the managing director later this month. Linda Fabiani. The minister is aware of the many problems that we have on the east cobride line, which is an extremely busy commuter line from east cobride into Glasgow and is only a single track that brings its own issues. However, for months and months now, we have had reduced carriages on that line, resulting in severe overcrowding, and it is becoming more and more difficult for people to have confidence in the rail service from east cobride into Glasgow. Can the minister assure me that he will raise that very seriously with ScotRail at that forthcoming meeting? I am disappointed to hear about the problems, although I use that route myself. The member will know that that is where my home station is, so I recognise what she says about the need for additional capacity. When the top 10 busiest services were published, east cobride services, 1701 service from Glasgow in 1847, were overcrowded, so I can give her an assurance that ScotRail recognises that. When it comes to winter, which I appreciate is not an immediate solution, but when it comes to winter, it is looking at additional capacity and additional carriages. I can also tell the member, with a degree of confidence, that when it comes to electric services coming in and the cascading of rolling stock across the network that east cobride is certainly a priority, as ScotRail has told me to increase some of that capacity. On the wider performance of the east cobride line, I should say that the performance of the PPM on that line is 95.7, which is above the Scottish average and well above the UK average. The performance generally in punctuality is good, but that is notwithstanding the problems that she says in her overcrowding, which I will take back to the MD of ScotRail when I meet him later this month. Graham Simpson I met ScotRail recently and they showed me that that line would be up to full carriage capacity over the next few months. However, my question is what is required on that line is for the whole of that line to be two lines and not for part of it to be one line. That is what is affecting the capacity. Can the minister tell us what the timescale is for getting that work done and for electrification? Graham Simpson I would say to the members that when it comes to the double tracking via the city deal, some have mentioned that it is for the city deal partners to take that forward and bring that to the Government as part of the city deal package. When it comes to additional capacity on the east cobride line, ScotRail is very aware that the east cobride line faces those overcrowding issues. It is a priority in resolving that issue. I would like to give the Government's reassurance that we also understand that the overcrowding on east cobride line is not acceptable. The reassurance that has been given by the train operator and the Government, and I am happy to write to the member with more details, if he wishes, as electrification comes into service. Elaine Smith When the minister meets ScotRail, will he be discussing the repeated incidents of violence at Hamilton Central station? Will he commit to meeting with the RMT to explore a way forward on that and discuss how to support ScotRail workers who have been victims of violence? Graham Simpson Can I put on record my appreciation for the work that the member has done on the safety of railway workers? We have met on a number of occasions on this very matter. It would be remiss of me not to put that on record but also to put on record the good campaign that the RMT has run very much on the safety of railway workers. I will be meeting with the RMT to discuss a range of issues, and one of the issues that we will be discussing will be the Hamilton Central issue. I know that day stage is a demonstration of that this week, so I will be happy to meet the RMT on that issue, and I will be happy to keep the member updated on that discussion. Gordon MacDonald To ask the Scottish Government how it promotes creative learning among children and young people, including encouraging their participation in music, dance, film and the arts. Fiona Hyslop The Scottish Government promotes creative learning in a wide variety of ways across many portfolios, not just my own. For example, in education, curriculum for excellence recognises the value of creative learning, providing children and young people with opportunities to be creative and imaginative, to experience inspiration and enjoyment, and to develop skills for learning, life and work. Our work with young people under the umbrella of Scotland's youth arts strategy, Time to Shine, and supported by initiatives, including the youth music initiative, cashback for creativity and system in Scotland, is ensuring that no young person's background is a barrier to taking part in the arts. Creative Scotland works in close strategic partnership with Education Scotland, Skills Development Scotland and other key education bodies to deliver Scotland's creative learning plan, which aims to put creativity at the heart of learning in Scotland. Together with Education Scotland, Creative Scotland continues to support creative learning networks in local authorities across Scotland, which delivers so many creative learning opportunities for young people. Gordon MacDonald I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. I recently attended a love music concert at the Urshore hall, where 60 young percussionists from Clomynstone and City Hall primaries in my constituency performed with professional musicians. The cabinet secretary will be aware that, in Edinburgh, over 24,000 young people participated in music creative and culture activities in the last academic year. Will she join me in commending the arts and creative learning team at the City of Edinburgh Council for providing Scotland's largest instrumental music service and youth music initiative programme at no cost to children and young people? Angela Constance Yes, I am more than happy to congratulate to Edinburgh and what it does in terms of cultural experience participation and on creative learning. Its reach is very extensive and the value of that is immensely important. I also congratulate Clomynstone primary and the percussionists there. I also recognise across Scotland the appreciation that schools and councils have for the support that they receive from MSPs from across the chamber in the cultural life of Scotland, particularly our young people. I encourage all members in the chamber to continue to support their local cultural activity, as Gordon MacDonald has done here in Edinburgh. Alex Cole-Hamilton To ask the Scottish Government when it last discussed policing in Edinburgh with Police Scotland. Cabinet Secretary Michael Matheson I meet the chief constable regularly to discuss issues concerning the policing of Scotland, and Scottish Government officials lay regularly with Police Scotland colleagues about a range of issues. However, decisions about day-to-day policing in Edinburgh are a matter for the Police Scotland divisional commander of Edinburgh and for the chief constable. Alex Cole-Hamilton I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. The Edinburgh Evening News reported on Monday that detection rates in the capital have fallen to just 35.4 per cent, the lowest in the country. It reveals that the toughest cases to crack are those around housebreaking and vandalism, both of which are particularly prevalent in my constituency of Edinburgh Scotland. Such detection issues have been a concern since the formation of Police Scotland, and a time period that has also been met with a demonstrable drop in police morale. What steps does the cabinet secretary and his Government intend to take with Police Scotland to address that? Alex Cole-Hamilton I know that Police Scotland is committed to taking a robust approach to tackling all those forms of crime, and it has a range of measures that you are taking forward within Edinburgh, specifically to tackle issues relating to housebreakings, which I know that they have an operation on going to tackle, and that they intend to take forward further work relating to the theft of motorcycles in the Edinburgh area over the course of this weekend, bringing in significant regional and national resource to support that, which is one of the key benefits that we have in having a national police force to be able to deploy resources from a national level into supporting local operations. However, it is also worth keeping in mind that, nationally, our most recent recorded crime stats show that policing clear-up rates are at their highest for 40 years. I recognise that there may be particular issues in given locations, and Police Scotland is taking forward appropriate measures in order to tackle those. I would continue to encourage members, such as the member, to engage with local commanders where they have specific concerns about local policing issues. Gordon MacDonald Does the cabinet secretary agree that police in Edinburgh division, as well as the 12 other police divisions in Scotland and the communities that they serve, would benefit greatly if the UK Government treated Police Scotland fairly and allowed them to claim back £35 million a year in VAT in the same way that they allowed police forces across the rest of the UK, academy schools and Highways England to claim back their VAT? Gordon MacDonald As I have made very clear on this chamber on a number of occasions, the way in which Police Scotland and the Scottish Foreign and Rescue Service have been treated by the UK Government on the ability to reclaim VAT is simply unacceptable. Where it has chosen to, the UK Government has been prepared to allow other national organisations to reclaim VAT. Why they have chosen not to allow Police Scotland and the Scottish Foreign and Rescue Service to do so is beyond me. I can only hope that, with the increasing number of Conservative MPs that they now have from Scotland in Westminster, they will show some backbone and stand up for our police service here in Scotland and stand up for our fire service rather than accepting the discrimination against our services here in Scotland. Ash Denham To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on setting a cap on mid-market rents in order to possibly achieve more affordable housing. Kevin Stewart The Scottish Government wishes to ensure that mid-market rent levels remain affordable to households on low to modest incomes. That is why landlords that have received Scottish Government support in recent years, whether in the form of grant funding, loan finance or financial guarantees, are not permitted to set rents above the midpoint of the local private sector rent levels, which are generally based on broad rental market area data collected and published by the Scottish Government. Ash Denham I thank the minister for that answer. Will the minister be able to advise how many more mid-market properties are to be built in Edinburgh over the next four years? Minister Presiding Officer, there will be significant levels of MMR properties delivered across Edinburgh to meet the high demand for good quality affordable housing. Based on the strategic housing investment plan approvals for Edinburgh, we expect to see around 2,100 MMR properties built over the next four years, supported by Scottish Government funding. Beyond that, we will see Scottish Government investment of £29.115 million this year from the affordable housing supply programme here in the capital city. I was pleased the other week to announce £1.745 billion of resource planning assumptions for the next three years, which will give certainty to local authorities across Scotland in terms of delivering our affordable housing programme. That will see a minimum investment of £124.5 million here in Edinburgh. 8. James Kelly To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that bus fare rates in Glasgow are affordable. Scottish Government supports bus services across Scotland, including Glasgow, through the bus service operators grant, besog, the budget of which is currently £53.5 million for 2017-18. The aim of the bus subsidy is to keep fares at an affordable level and enable bus operators to run services that might not otherwise be commercially viable, helping to support the national bus network. Ownership rates are lower in Glasgow than in any other area of the country, so bus travel is essential to many in the city. It is therefore deeply regrettable that, in the recent spate of fare rises, some of the rises imposed before bus and some of the fares were in excess of 10 per cent. As the transport minister and also as a Glasgow MSP, the minister can explain why the Government of which he is a member is in favour of reducing prices for air travellers, yet bus passengers in Glasgow see hikes greater than inflation? I try to take a consensual approach to that, because I know that the member as much as I would like to see more people on public transport. On the issue around Glasgow and the west of Scotland congestion, of course, that is one of the biggest issues. When it comes to bus patronage, I would like to gently remind him that the steepest decline in bus patronage across Scotland has been in Glasgow and the west. Of course, Labour councils have been in control not for years, but for decades. When it comes to buses, we are bringing forward a transport bill. That transport bill will have a bus element to it. A suite of measures are being brought forward in that transport bill and in the bus element of that, such as local franchising, which we will consult on, issues of municipal bus ownership and issues of tackling congestion and increasing smart tickets availability. All that suite of measures should help to increase patronage, but, of course, when I meet first bus next, I will raise the issue that the member raises with me around bus fares in Glasgow and the west. I will end on the point that bus fare rises, as unwelcome as they are, of course, are lowest in Scotland than they are anywhere else in the UK. Mike Rumbles Does the minister accept that free bus travel for the over-60s is a win-win, not only for the individual's concern but for reducing congestion on our roads and a win particularly for our environment? We, of course, have funded free bus travel, the national concessionary travel scheme, for a number of years now. What we have committed to in our manifesto is, in fact, to extend it to modern apprentices and, potentially, young people on a jobs grant. We have to look at the sustainability of that. I think that that is important. I think that people recognise that, but we will not make any changes to the national concessionary travel scheme without consulting on that. Jamie Greene Will the minister agree with me that local authorities should have an enabling power over bus franchising that is made available to them? Yes, sir. That has been brought forward as part of the UK bus services bill. As I mentioned in my answer to James Kelly, when we bring forward a transport bill that will have a bus element to it, one of the measures that we will look to explore and consult on would be local franchising.